An introduction

I love the quote under the title of this blog by Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time, Swiftly Tilting Planet, etc). So far, as a woman in my 30s, I've come to understand that a woman's life is a busy one. There's always something to be done for someone who loves me, who I love, or who at least expects something from me. Expectations real or simply in my head of who I need to be, who I should be, and who I want to be. I feel tugged by love, by obligation, by guilt, by hope, by desire, by responsibility. Don't get me wrong. I want my life as it is in many ways; nevertheless, a host of complexities come with this life, perhaps by virtue of it being a woman's life.

In a deep part of me, I crave stillness. L'Engle calls it quiet and peace, but I think we mean the same thing. Just a bit of time to myself. To check in. To make sure that the outside me is in harmony with the inside me. I don't think that I always know what I'm looking for. More often than not, these moments happen by chance: a quick walk with the dog at night because we forgot about him all day, finding myself alone at the breakfast table with a cup of tea, a sentence from my nightly read speaks to me...And in those moments, it's as if I take a deep breath, my mind quiets and I just "am." I want to be more intentional about those moments because I find myself renewed in some way. My tongue is less sharp...my goals a bit more focused...the squeaky wheels greased. It's as if I live with more grace.

Ironically, one of the best ways I've come to that stillness of being has been in the midst of other women. Laughing. Listening. Weeping. Talk, talk, talk, talking. It's the meet-me-at-the'bucks (yes, that is slang for you-know-what coffee place), a long weekend with old friends, the quick how-are-you in passing outside the grocery store, or the familiar chat with moms and sisters. The scene and combination of women doesn't seem to matter, in a sense, because it's always rich. Even when it's light-hearted, it does something for my soul. When it is more, my soul receives profound things, like wisdom, empathy, and companionship that assures me I am not alone.

So it seems to me that the circle of quiet can be created by "outside" me connecting with "inside" me or by women coming together.

Hopefully, this blog can become a way for us to be more intentional about finding these moments. I would like to post once a week for a year (inspired by Julia and Julia, of course). I'll share my thoughts but also things I've read and seen that might be food for the soul (or for a laugh!). I hope you'll do the same.